Camera support



Feb. 27, 1945. L 1 DU MAlS 2,370,611

CAMERA SUPPORT Filed Oct. 6, 1942 "Zlwl v Y cammvsnrronr n Y Leo J. 'De Mais, chicago, m., minor to Dil-Lite Screen Company. Inc., Chicago.

ration oi' Illinois Ill.. a corpolApplication october s, mz, serial 10.461.032

(ci. :i-s6) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a camera sup port and is more particularly directed toa shoulder type of support on which the camera is secured and which support is bodily carried and maneuvered with the camera thereon.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera support which is strong and durable, simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, and which support may be easily and readily handled for the instantaneous taking of pictures at any desired or required angle.

A further object is the provision of a camera a. hand grip at its .other end and between which rest and` grip a camera retainable member is slideably positioned to selectively retain the camera at any desired angular port.

A further object is the provision of manually manipulative means slideably larranged on the support and rotatable for attachment to the camera; the attaching means being such as to eifect a frictional gripping action for retaining saidY manipulative means in fixed adjusted positions on the support. And a still further object is the provision of adjustable strap means on the shoulder rest whereby the support and camera may be suspended from the shoulder of the wearer and may be instantly swung into picture taking position.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of the camera support embodying my invention, illustrating its use with a camera secured thereon in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the camera sup- Dort.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail partial longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line #-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an exploded detail perspective view of the slide and guide means. The reference nlnneral I l designates the camera support as a whole, and which support comprises a relatively long body portion II which has a shoulder rest I2 provided at one end thereof and a hand grip I3 depending from its other end. 'Ihe body portion II o1' the support I0 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot opening I 4 which extends vertically through body portion I I and provides a guideway for an interlocking slide and guide means designated as a, whole as I5. 'Ihis slide and guide means I5 consists of two memposition on the sup-y bers, a top member I6 and an interlocking lower member I1. The top member I6 has a substantially flat disc portion I8 which is adapted to rest on the support and an integral depending portion I9 of the disc extends in the slot I 4 of the support for a sliding movement therein. 'I'he depending portion I! is provided on one edge thereof with an L-shaped formation and a centrally disposed vertical bore 2| which terminates into a larger bore 22 at the vupper end of member IB. The lower member I1 is provided l with a. relatively small disc portion 23 which has i support having a shoulder rest at one end'and an integral upwardly extending portion 24 of Vthe same shape and size as the depending portion I9 of member I6. This portion 24Y is also provided with an -L-shaped formation 25 and arranged to interlock with the L-shaped formation 20 of the top member I6. 'I'he lower member," is also provided with a vertical bore 28 which is adapted tobe brought into alignment .Y with the vertical borer 2i when the top and lower y members I6 and I1, respectively, are placed with their portions IS and 24, respectively, projecting lnto'the slot'opening I4 of the support and with 25 their vL-'shaped formations 20 and 25, respectively, interlocked.

When the members I6 and I1 are thus interlocked, a relatively long shankedscrew 21 is positioned through the bores 2| and 28 with the enlarged threaded end'28 of the screw received in the enlarged bore 22. A knurled knob 29 is secured to the lower end of the screw 21 and which screw is of a suiiicient length to permit of a vertical sliding movement thereof in the interlocked members I6 and I1 to project the threaded end 28 of the screw above the disc I8. With this arrangement oi' screw, the threaded en'd is always flush within the large bore 22 which permits of readily placing the camera on disc I 8 to be secured in position by the screw 21. 'I'he tightening of screw 21 into the camera will force the .top and lower members I 8 and I1 together to frictionally clamp the support and retain said members and camera in xed adjusted position. When the screw 21 is threaded into the camera, the knob 29 thereof will be brought into engagement with the disc portion 23 of the lower member and the camera will be drawn tightly against the disc I8 thereby effecting a, clamping between the two discs.

The portions I9 and 24 of the members I6 and I1, respectively, are arranged to slideably fit within the slot opening I4, `of the support and when clamped as .above described, will retain the camera in the position to which it has been adjusted. Also this construction permits ot the pivotai adjustments of the camera to align the same to suit the user.

The shoulder rest l2 is provided with openings Il and 3i, respectiveiy, to receive a strap 32 therethrough which is of suiiicient length to extend about the shoulder and serves as means to bodily suspend the support and camera on the users shoulders.

While in this suspended position, the user will grip the hand grip, which is preferably of the machine gun type and provides means to rigidly hold the support against the shoulder with the view iinder of the camera properly aligned with the users eye.

The shoulder strap 32 has one end 32a positioned through opening 30 oi' the shoulder rest and is secured at 33, and the free end 32h of the strap is slideably positioned through opening 3l of the rest and has an adjusting means 34 nxed thereto and slidably carried on the strap. This construction permits of the adjustment of the strap to suit the user.

While the strap is for the purpose o! bodily carrying the support and camera, the same may be omitted when desired.

It will be noted, that the disc I8 on which the camera rests, is slightly relieved to form an annular ring Ita which serves to better hold the camera when secured to the support.

The support or frame comprising the main body portion with a shoulder rest on one end and a hand-grip at its other end has been illustrated as of solid formation, but the same may be relieved or embellished, or may be constructed of formed wire without departing from the scope of invention.

I claim:

i. In a camera support, a main member. a shoulder rest at one end of said main member, a hand grip at the other end of the said member, camera attaching means between said rest and grip, said camera attaching means comprising upper and lower interlocking members adjustably positionable on said support, and means extending through the interlocking members whereby to secure a camera and to bodily move the said interlocking members into frictional engagement with the said main member for securely retain ing the same on the support.

2. In a camera support, a main member having a shoulder rest at one end thereof, and a hand grip at its other end and a vertically disposed slot opening extending between said rest, and grip, camera attaching means slidable in said slot opening, said means comprising upper and lower interlocking members adiustably positionable in said slot opening of the supports and means coacting with said interlocking members for securing a camera thereto and for clamping said 

